The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a storage medium. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a storage medium for retrievably accommodating the method, the apparatus and the method permitting images to be picked up.
In recent years, some personal computers have come to embrace multimedia and accommodate a CCD camera and its interface, the camera picking up images of a user or other objects. Images are picked up when an application program addressing such processing is carried out by the computer.
Meanwhile, drastic improvements in the processing performance of personal computers have made it possible for their operating system to provide as a standard feature a multitask environment in which to run a plurality of application programs such as a word processor application, a spreadsheet application and an image processing application.
At the same time, graphically-driven window systems have become a standard user interface. This has shifted the status of a principal manipulative device from the keyboard to the pointing device such as a mouse or a track ball.
In that operating environment, a user utilizing a CCD camera mounted on a personal computer to get a picture of an object must first operate a pointing device to activate an image pickup application program. The user then needs to perform further operations to pick up the image.
The problem is that it takes time to operate the pointing device moving the pointer position, pushing a button or manipulating other controls when and where appropriate. The time-consuming chore often causes the use to miss a perfect moment for a good picture.